


Untimely Beginnings

by iwriteunoriginalideas, Mason_Probably



Series: Children Of War [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: ANBU Team Horn, Arranged Marriage, Arranged Marriage Mentioned, Canon-Typical Violence, Children of War Series, F/F, F/M, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Konohagakure | Hidden Leaf Village, Major Original Character(s), Major character death - Freeform, Mild Language, Naruto Seal Theories, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Naruto Canon Era, Team as Family, The Uchiha Clan is Still there, The Uzumaki are not, Uzushiogakure | Hidden Eddy Village, for now, many character deaths
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2020-05-13 10:37:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19249471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwriteunoriginalideas/pseuds/iwriteunoriginalideas, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mason_Probably/pseuds/Mason_Probably
Summary: Prequel to "Fire's Blight" and "Whirlpool's Legacy"The first installment of "Children of War"---The captain of team Horn was no fool. None of them were, really, but they were efficient and useful when they started. But that was the problem.Only fools got a chance to outlive their usefulness.---Uchiha Shun was on her way home after two long years. She'd completed her mission and then some. She didn't expect anything upon her return, though. After all, it was definitely meant to be a long term suicide mission. She wasn't expected to return at all, let alone bloody and pregnant.Then again, Shun thought, the Village can go fuck itself. My child is more important.All that she needed to do now was get into Fire Country before she gave birth. It didn't happen, though, as Shun went into labor three days away from the border. She did her best to ignore it, to walk a little further, but it was of little use. In the darkness of early night, Shun was doing her best to quietly give birth behind enemy lines. Several hours later Shun held a baby girl. Uchiha Kokoro's life begins on June fifth, born washed in the early morning twilight of Iron Country.





	1. Konohagakure At Last

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I truly hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it.

It took five more weeks of walking, but Shun finally made it back to Konohagakure. She kept her infant daughter hidden in her kimono top for most of it. She didn't bother to stop at the gates or wake the sleeping guards, heading straight to the hospital instead. Everything else could wait; her little Kokoro came first.

The nurses on shift that morning were, for a lack of a better term, pissed. They swore up and down that the Uchiha was one of the luckiest women they treated. That ‘Field Births’ were notorious for their complications and low survival rates. Shun kept a small smile plastered while she began her mission report.

Uchiha Kokoro was turning out to be somewhat malnourished, with a vitamin deficiency, as well as incredibly small. All things considered, it was a miracle the infant was as healthy as she was. Shun's health was, unfortunately, far more lackluster. She was malnourished, dehydrated, with severe eye strain caused by her Sharingan. To top it off Shun had several fractures needed to be re-broken and set.

The hospital did all they could for a few hours, giving both an IV drip while they got to work. Later one of the nurses on shift began to discharge the two- albeit reluctant. “We’ve done everything you’ll let us, Uchiha.” Their nurse stated, flipping through the rejected treatments with a sigh. “I assume you’ll be heading to the compound’s doctor for your eyes?”

Shun gave a slight hum of agreement, her spinning red eyes never leaving Kokoro. “Yes, ma’am, after I give my report.” Her voice was hoarse and scratchy, but it made little Kokoro smile as she stared at her mother. Shun hoped her voice would mellow out soon. She could hardly wait until her daughter could truly see.

The nurse shook her head and sighed. “I’ll send these over to your clinic then. I recommend you and your little one have weekly check-ups with us for a while, though.”

“Thank you.”

  
\---

  
Shun knocked on the office door and dutifully waited for a response. “Enter.” Shun held Kokoro a little closer as she entered the Hokage’s office. She stood to attention once the door closed and hoped her infant went unnoticed. “What do you need, Uchiha?”

Shun gave a bitter smile in return. Of course, she'd be recognized as an Uchiha rather than a loyal ninja and ANBU. It's not like she's worked as one for almost ten years. “My Lord, I come with a mission report.”

He looked confused but accepted what she said. “Registry number,”

“8244-7486. Here is the written report, Lord Hokage,” she stated. Shun's voice was calm and devoid of emotion. Nothing to betray the fact that she walked for the last three months straight with no break nor her irritation with the Hokage. 

At first, when he took the report, confusion was still painted on his face. That is until he read the first few words on the page. A heart clenching dread began to consume him. After all, what emotion are you supposed to have after seeing the return of a dead woman?

“If you'd allow it, Lord Hokage, I'd like to give my oral report after I've informed my clan that I am alive, sir.” The Hokage gave an empty sort of nod, too shocked to do much else. Uchiha Shun bowed and left the office, shutting the door behind her. He never noticed the little one tucked away close to her heart.

 

\---

 

Shun's arrival in the Uchiha compound later that night was met with happy children. They danced around her legs while singing praises of “The Sword of the Uchiha Clan.” Shun never did figure out if the title was good or not. Then again, it didn't matter much anymore; she'd come to like the title.

It made her feel important.

She took her time walking, enjoying being able to walk around the compound once more. The kids dispersed once she arrived at the clan head's house and knocked on the door. Fugaku, who was next in line answered.

Shun gave a short bow, holding her daughter tight. “Hello, Fugaku. Is Lord Eakon home? I wish to report my survival.”

Fugaku was shocked to see Shun at his doorstep. The Elders were in the middle of planning her funeral during their last meeting. Now here she was- and holding an infant no less. All Fugaku could bring himself to do was numbly correct her. “Lord Eakon is an Elder now, I took control of the clan a few months ago.”

Shun's plastic smile gained a proud sort of warmth. “Congratulations, Fugaku- though I suppose you'd be _Lord_ Fugaku, now.”

He sighed, uncomfortable with a dead woman's praise. The new Lord took a robotic step to the side, motioning her to come in. “I'm sure Mikoto would love to see you and your child, Shun.” Fugaku dropped his voice, “She's been talking of our marriage lately.”

She nearly laughed. Fugaku almost sounded _embarrassed_. “It'll be okay, my Lord.” Shun turned her smile down at her daughter as she stepped inside, her voice soft. “Come, little one, let's go see your auntie.” Kokoro cooed and giggled as she smiled back at her mother.

Everything was okay.

Everything would be okay.

 

\---

 

When Shun finally got home later that night she went straight for her room. She stepped over whatever she left on the floor, pushed off whatever she left on the bed, and passed out. Kokoro had the same idea too, evidently. She slept through the night for the first time, only waking up once Shun moved the next day. Yet, she woke up to an immediate problem. One that was currently all over her floor.

Shun cared about very few things, and what she did care for was abundantly obvious. Shun's house was fucking _littered_ with blades. She could name each one with ease- Short sword, Long sword, Odachi, Katana, Claymore, Dagger, Chokuto, Machete and so many more. Some were stored in weapon racks, others in labeled scrolls. A few of the more famous ones were displayed on the walls or propped up against what little furniture she owned. The rest were scattered throughout the small house and, yes, on the floor.

Shun forgot she used her own house as a weapons store.

Shun looked at the blades, Kokoro, and the blades again. “Babies aren't careful, right?” Kokoro paid her mother no mind as she sleepily mouthed Shun's sleeve. “Definitely not. The weapons are too sharp and infants are too new.” Then, a sentence came forth that Shun never thought she'd say.

“I have too many swords.”

Shun sighed as she scooped up Kokoro and toed around the sharp edges. Mentally, she made a to-do list as she walked to the front door. _First,_ she thought as she got a whiff of something foul, _diapers._ Kokoro giggled, none the wiser. _Then the bathhouse._

 

_\---_

 

Uchiha Shun reclined back into the couch in the Hokage's office. She finished the last of her mission report and now she could request a mission of her own. After all, surviving an unsurvivable mission guarantees a lot of cash.

  
Shun's eyes gleamed as she counted the bills, her Sharingan flashing to double check. The Hokage looked put off, looking anywhere but the cash. Shun nodded to herself as she finished, sealing most of the money away. A D-Rank was chump change to an SS infiltration and intelligence mission. Combined with Shun's substantial savings, her own wealth genuinely rivaled her clan's.  
Shun gave Kokoro the scroll, letting her slobber and grab at it.

They were set for life.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Fic is Centered around ANBU Team Horn, which is comprised solely of OC's as this is before the Third Elemental War but within 10-15 years of the Second Elemental War. At least it should be if my math is correct. 
> 
> In other words, the majority of canon characters haven't even been born yet so I have to Make Them.
> 
> \---
> 
> My friends are dirty enablers that have actively encouraged and participated in this fic as well.


	2. Nearly Domestic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prequel to "Fire's Blight"  
> The first installment of "Children of War"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it.

Six months in and Shun was having the time of her life. Watching the tiny being she created develop and mature was fascinating. The most exciting part though? Kokoro was beginning to form actual, concrete syllables when she babbled.

The people that often saw Shun were bewildered, but none were so prominent than the ANBU. Shun's former ANBU team, Owl, Jack Rabbit, and Doe, especially. This seemingly new, bubbly side of their old captain was jarring, to say the least. This was the person they knew to be stone-faced about everything and everyone. Even when Shun was clearly excited- ie, a sword- it was a muted look of bright, shining eyes.

But here Shun was, playing the most animated game of peekaboo Owl had ever seen. Each time Shun's head would pop up past the edge of the cradle she'd make a different, nonsensical expression to make the baby laugh. Owl didn't understand it. He couldn't understand it. The entire situation was too alien, too jarring. "I don't get it." _Was that out loud?_

Shun stopped, mid peekaboo, unfazed by Owl's unannounced presence. "What do you mean, Owl?" Shun had long gotten used to Owl watching her these last six months. Not that it didn't make his new habit any less odd.

"I don't get how you're happy. You were never interested in family or men, just swords and fighting." _I didn't mean to say that out loud._ Owl took his mask off, revealing the boyish face of a confused fifteen-year-old. "Now you're the happiest we've seen you in years. You came back with a kid and you haven't had a single mission in six months."

Shun hummed for a moment, her thoughts running together in an endless stream before- _Oh._ It all made sense now. Shun gave him a genuine smile, one full of love and understanding and caring. She pulled her _son_ into a hug, tucking his head under hers as they leaned against the wall. "You will always be family to me, Hiroto. You, me, Kazuki, and the Nara bitch will always be family." If Shun noticed the growing wet spot on her Kimono she never mentioned it. Instead, she began to caress Hiroto's head. "I could never leave you and Kazuki behind- you're my kids. I have to take care of the newest edition of our family for now."

Hiroto let out a shaky, audible sob as he responded, desperately holding on to her. Shun hummed in return, her heart full. "I love you too."

Shun's small home gained a few extra people after that.

 

\---

 

Despite the unanimous revelation that they all loved each other _very much_ ; Shun truly had a difficult time with actually showing feelings. Being motherly was easy- something she already had a habit of doing. She did it with a smile now is all. But to admit the fact that she had a _crush?_ That she actually liked a human close to her age? Her crush didn't even wield a sword of any kind. So instead Shun was an asshole to the woman.

Because that's how Uchihas deal with feelings. They bury then under a deep, deep layer of irritation and false anger.

 

\---

 

Shun and the 'Nara Bitch,' as she was usually called, were having a stare down in the kitchen. Shun's face remained impassive as the Nara's morphed into a glare. "We need a bigger house."

Shun's mouth twitched, almost unnoticeable. "My home has been mine since my founding- it is fine, Kiku." Hiroto and Kazuki, Owl and Jack Rabbit respectively, hid their chakra as they listened to the latest fight. Kazuki winced, Shun actually using Doe's name was almost never a good thing.

Kiku held her ground, her chakra flaring with her irritation. "No, it's not Shun. This shack is made for one, maybe three people at best. Even my home in the compound is-"

"No."

Nara frowned but made an effort to calm her chakra down as she thought through the problem. This house obviously means something to Shun. But, people don't get this attached to rundown shacks on the edge of town. Shun hasn't even bothered to renovate the place to any degree and It's not like she couldn't afford it. Kiku knew Shun was rolling in cash. Kiku relented, silently vowing to get to the bottom of this problem. "Fine, but this isn't over, Shun. We will discuss this later."

Hiroto and Kazuki's clones popped the second after. The two sat next to Kokoros crib in the main living room where they're supposed to be. Kazuki made a show of cooing at his newfound sister while Hiroto rocked the cradle. Kiku stormed through, glancing once at the kids before leaving. She made an effort not to slam the door, though, careful not to upset the baby. Hiroto slumped forward, letting out a deep sigh of relief. "Well, that could have been worse."

Kazuki snorted. "Could 'ave been a lot better too." Hiroto's whine immediately caught his attention again. "W'at's it now?"

He pointed to the coat hanging off one of the splinters next to the door with a pout. "Mom left her coat and it's supposed to snow today."

Kazuki rolled his eyes. "Ma'll be fine."


	3. A bag of cats labeled 'UCHIHA'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this chapter! Sorry if the line spacing between paragraphs is a little funky.

Nara Kiku, while she wasn't the highest up on the ninja food chain, was still a very important person. With importance came clearance and with clearance came information. There was little Kiku couldn't get a hold of and even fewer she couldn't figure out. So here she was, back in the ANBU barracks, trying to solve their housing problem.

Everyone in ANBU had some form of records- birth certificate, academy paperwork- but Shun had nothing. Trying to find anything on her teammate that wasn't mission reports was a joke. Even then it was only Oni, not Shun. The only time Shun showed up outside of a mission report was on Kokoro's birth certificate.

  
It was like Shun didn't even exist before ANBU. It went further than that, though. Shun didn't legally exist before Kokoro and it was driving her insane.

  
Kiku sighed and slumped back into her bed, frustrated at the abnormal lack of information. She could ask her clan head or Shun's but… this was a systematic removal or neglect of information. Shit wasn't adding up at all. On top of that, politically, involving the head of her clan in something like this would be an incredible mess and unnecessary.

  
This is something she would, unfortunately, have to do on her own. Kiku sighed, pulling at her face. "What a drag."

 

\---

 

Three days later Kiku took a deep breath to calm herself. She smoothed out the only civilian clothes she owned: her old man's yukata and some winter shoes. She'd followed every lead to a dead end and this was the last one she had found: Uchiha Mikoto, wife of the Uchiha clan head. Rumor had it Shun was actually a very close friend of the woman. Some of them went as far as to call the two childhood friends. Regardless of how the two saw each other, everyone thinks the two are close, which was her best lead so far.

  
Kiku took one final deep breath and knocked on the door with a shiver. _Please, not the clan head. Please, not the clan head. Please, not the c-_ The door slid open to reveal the face of Mikoto Uchiha. Kiku sighed in relief.

  
Mikoto blinked but otherwise showed no surprise to see a Nara at her door. "Hello, Ms. Nara. How may I help you? Do you need my husband?"

  
Kiku immediately began to panic. "No! I mean- that sounds bad, uhh. I- I- I actually need to, uh, to talk to you." Kiku's hands jerked around, almost like she was trying to smooth out her panic. "Uh, Lady Uchiha- Mikoto, Lady Mikoto, uh ma'am."

  
Mikoto did not have the time or patience for this. She pulled her shawl tighter around her. "You have 3 minutes to convince me."

Kiku lit up. "That's longer than I expected!" She pulled a few photos out of her obi, one was of team Horn, but without the masks. "With the birth of Kokoro, our entire team moved in to help Shun take care of the kid. However," Kiku spread out three more photos, each depicting a small, decrepit house. The wood on the outside was splintered and in disrepair with old paint peeling off. In fact, splintered and in desperate need of repair seemed to be a running theme. "This is her- our, now- home. We're worried about her safety and the child's but she refuses to do anything or let me do anything." Kiku slid all the photos back into her obi. "I'd like to know why, if at all possible."

  
Mikoto's expression- that had started off as tired, cold, and irritated- took on what could only be described as worried sick. She pushed the door open a little further, a mumbled 'come in' barely passing her lips as she walked away. Kiku kicked her shoes off outside the door as she slid the screen closed and hurried after. She followed her into the kitchen, trying not to trip over her own feet as she awkwardly stood in the entryway. Mikoto set down two cups of steaming tea at a kotatsu and gestured for Kiku to take a seat. "I'm sorry for the initial cold greeting, Ms. Nara."

  
Kiku dismissed the apology with a wave as she sat down. "You had every right to be, Lady Uchiha. Also, Kiku will be fine; I'm only twenty." Kiku's hand jerked and shook back and forth, her nerves not calming down.

  
The Lady Uchiha let out a small, relieved huff. "Only if you refer to me as Mikoto, Miss Kiku. I'm far too young to be a lady of any sort." Mikoto only smiled at Kiku's confused look. "I turned seventeen this last summer." Kiku's brain came to a halt.

_Seventeen? The Lady Uchiha is seventeen?_

Mikoto continued, not noticing Kiku's sudden change. "Fugaku and I haven't been dating for long- it was arranged before Shun left for her mission two years ago. He's a good man, though."

Kiku's brain came hurtling back a thousand miles an hour, the number seventeen at the center of it all. _As bad as it sounds arranged marriages are going to go on your back burner for now._ Kiku's mind was absent as she took the photos back out and placed them on the kotatsu. _One thing at a time, Kiku._ "I'm glad he's a good man, Mikoto." Kiku held onto the cup like a lifeline. _Back to Shun._ "Sorry to change the subject," _Don't start a war,_ "but as you can see Shun's house is decrepit at best. As I asked earlier; Do you know why? I'll take any information at this point."

  
Mikoto stared at her tea, mulling something over in her head. "I don't know the exact reason, Miss Kiku. Shun and I may be friends but she's been distant since she came back." Kiku hummed in agreement, taking a sip. "But I do know why she lives so far out in the first place."

   
That caught Kiku's attention. "Oh?"

  
Mikoto nodded. "Shun's family has always been somewhat removed from the clan, especially the women. At this point, no one knows why- not for sure at least. But Shun and her mother were removed for a different reason." Kiku took another sip. "Shun's mother refused to marry. The Elders tried to set her up with suitor after suitor but she'd always say no. They even went outside of the clan in desperation and she rejected them as well." Kiku listened intently, waiting for any clues to fall into her lap. "Eventually the Elders forced her to marry one of them. So she left. Ten years later Shun shows up by herself in a nightdress at the South Gates. The Elder that her mother was supposed to marry hated her for existing. Not only that but those of the clan that disliked her mother disliked her as well. The malice festered and spread so fast that Shun was only in the district for a month before she moved."

  
Kiku felt like she had an epiphany and she was irritated it didn't happen earlier. Shun was basically forced to move out of the Uchiha district for existing. Before that, it was from wherever she lived with her mother. There's no way either of those experiences were pleasant for her. No wonder Shun immediately shut the subject down every time. Literally, nothing good has come from Shun moving.

  
Kiku slumped forward with a groan. _Of course, it had to be trauma related_. "Thank you, Mikoto, For your help."

Mikoto smiled kindly. "I'm glad I could, Miss Kiku."

  
Kiku took another sip of the tea as she planned out her next words. "If it's not a bother, could you tell me more about your arranged marriage, Mikoto? I was under the impression that they had fallen out of favor in the last decade or so."

  
Mikoto happily nodded, getting up to grab the pot of tea off the stove. "I would love too, Miss Kiku." Mikoto sat back down with practiced ease, her legs folded neatly. "It definitely fell out of favor, especially after the last one failed. The one between Shun's mother and the Elder."

  
Kiku's voice was curious as she poured herself another cup of tea. "Arranged marriages have been out of favor for over twenty years, then?"

  
Mikoto held her cup out, silently asking Kiku to fill hers as well. "That's when the majority of people rallied against it, yes."

Kiku refilled Mikoto’s cup. “Then why are you and Lord Fugaku in an arranged marriage? It doesn’t make much sense to do something most of the clan is against.”

  
Mikoto shook her head. “You’d be correct, but Fugaku showed no interest in marriage. I'm considered a bit of a flight risk with my mission choices.” Kiku took another sip of her tea as Mikoto continued on. “I always chose missions that took me outside the village once I could actually pick, you know?”

  
Kiku hummed into her cup. “You wanted to know what life was like outside of the village.”

  
Mikoto grinned, excited someone understood what she was saying. “Exactly. The marriage ties both of us down to the clan and keeps us within reach of the Elders. Fugaku doesn’t want to actually marry me until I’m twenty, though. He’s getting ridiculed for that decision.”

  
Kiku smiled back, happy to assess that Fugaku was indeed a good man like Mikoto said. It was the Elders that sucked. “Thank you again for humoring my curiosity, Mikoto. You’ll always be welcome in my home, regardless if I have a home to welcome you too or not.”

  
Mikoto took Kiku’s hands into her own, holding tight. “No, thank you, Miss Kiku.”

Both of their eyes shined bright.

 

\---

 

Kiku stood outside of Shun’s house the next day, planning out how to breach the subject and win their argument with the newly gathered information. _So Shun didn’t exist because she wasn’t born in the village._ That was one mystery solved. She shifted back and forth, ignoring the snow that collected around her. _Then nothing ever got done because she was detested and on her own after she was traumatically removed from the district._ That was the first problem solved.

  
Kiku sighed as she ran through what she couldn’t find as well. _That didn’t explain her attachment to the house, though. It could be a simple case of sentiment and nostalgia. Maybe._ Once she was done creating three or four back up plans Kiku took a deep breath and opened the door. There was no way she could lose now.

  
Instead of seeing Shun, as she expected, Kiku came face to face with Kazuki. “Where’s Uchiha, kiddo?”

  
Kazuki leaned on the doorframe, letting the ever happy Hiroto come into view. “Her and Kokoro are out doing missions, Miss Kiku! They left earlier this morning.”

  
For the second time that week, Kiku’s brain came to a grinding halt. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY’RE DOING MISSIONS?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big OOf  
> Meant to publish this yesterday


	4. Old Women And Farmers Know The Secrets Of All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But an old woman farmer can cut through the bullshit of the universe, straight to the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its 0232 and I can't sleep.  
> I hope you enjoy this chapter

Kokoro giggled as she tugged on the hair that fell out of Shun’s bun, the wiggling child safely secured on her back as Shun trudged through the snow.

  
After fighting with Kiku, Shun took on a few D-Rank missions to help clear her mind. Shun acknowledged the fact that both boys were back at her place. Theoretically, Kazuki was almost a young adult and could probably take care of Kokoro while she did this as well. But Hiroto and Kazuki couldn't even take care of themselves. Leaving the baby with them was not an option at the moment. And while it wasn’t the most ideal situation, she took Kokoro with her, strapped into a small cloth and reed basket on her back.

  
So that’s what they did for most of the time while Shun thought about their fights. She pulled weeds, picked up trash, walked dogs, cleaned houses and babysat young kids. It was busy work that kept her hands full and mind free. Eventually, Shun came to a conclusion.

  
The Nara Bi- Kiku- had a point.

  
What drove it home the most was the houses she cleaned. She familiarized herself with the civilian housing and compared them to her's. Kiku’s words popping up as she did. One of Nara's main points being that her house was small. In fact, many of the apartments offered more living space than her house.

  
Then there was the condition of the house itself and the furniture. Shun's looked like it needed to be condemned in comparison. On top of that households with young kids had safety precautions to stop children from getting hurt. Even one ninja named Sakumo, who requested someone to help him deep clean his apartment, said he was expecting a child in some months.

  
Her home had shaped up to be no place for anyone, let alone her darling daughter, to live.

  
Shun buried her hands in her obi as she got off her knees. Her fingers cold, dirty, and numb from digging through the snow and ground beneath it. The old woman slowly trudging through Shun's previous snow tracks, planting seeds as she walked. Shun got up and stood to the side, waiting for further instructions.

  
The old woman had requested help with planting her field. Her knees couldn't take the labor anymore and all her kids refused to help.

  
The old woman smiled kindly. She packed the soil back over the small seed with a brush of her cane, finishing off the row. "There we go- last one. Hopefully, the frost won't be too bad this year, Little Ninja." Shun hummed in response. She knew next to nothing about farming. The old farmer continued to talk as she held her hand out to Shun, unfazed by the lack of an actual answer. "You see the frost and ice that comes every winter can be real irritatin'. If it gets too cold the dirt freezes and kills the next harvest."  
Shun let the old woman grab her hand, expecting to help her back to her home across the field. She didn't expect to get yanked closer. Shun balanced herself so she wouldn't fall, one hand darting behind her to steady Kokoro's basket. "Kids and relationships are a lot like the harvest, Little Ninja." The old woman let go of Shun, double the posted price sitting in Shun's outstretched hand. "Take it from me; don't be the frost that kills the harvest."

  
Shun nodded numbly, unsure of what to say if anything at all. After a moment, she found her voice again. "I understand. Thank you."

  
The old woman beamed, clasping her hands as she spoke. "Be warm like the sun, Little Ninja, and you'll be fine. Now go fix whatever's been buggin' you! Go! Go!"

  
Shun bowed at the waist, the old woman getting another look at the content infant on her back. "Thank you again."

  
Shun jerked back, watching as the old woman's cane just barely missed her face. "I said, git!"

  
\---

 

When Shun got home a little over an hour later she was met with the stern glare of Nara Kiku. "I see you're back, Nara."

Kiku scoffed. _Fuckin 'I see your back.' Piss off!_ "The boys said you were doing missions."

  
Shun sighed, the boy's faces popping up with mischievous glints in their eyes. _Ahh, I was told on, so to speak._ "Yes, I was doing simple D-Rank missions to help keep myself busy while you were gone."

  
Kiku's eyes scanned the thick fabric of Shun's kimono. It was wet and dirty from the knee down. Her sleeves were rolled and tied out if the way, despite the cold air. But that's not what concerned Kiku. "Where are your shoes?" Shun's feet were bright red, covered in ice, snow, and mud. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Give me Kokoro and go warm up!"

  
Shun expected to get yelled at, but not like this. "What?"

  
Kiku slumped forward with a deep, tired, sigh. She pulled Shun the rest of the way through the door. The one thing in the house that Shun spent good money on was plumbing, at least. Kiku led her into their small bathroom and turned the water on. "Come on, Shun. Let me help you."

  
Kiku's words hadn't changed. In fact, Shun had heard them dozens of times before. Usually, it was during missions but it wasn't uncommon to hear it outside of them either. For some reason, though, this time was different.  
Shun studied Kiku's face, taking the basket off her back and lifting Kokoro out of it. "Okay."

\---

Shun sat in lukewarm water, knees tucked under her chin. Kiku sat on a stool next to her, Kokoro in her lap. As it turned out, Shun bundled the baby in all her warm winter gear while she wore the bare minimum. Then, seeing as she apparently didn't have any winter shoes, shun wore spring sandals. The sandals broke and she went barefoot. The entire situation left Kiku so baffled she swept the entire thing under the rug instead. Together, the three of them sat in relative silence for the next half hour. Both ignored the two shadows that hovered around the bathroom door.

  
Shun opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again before speaking. "You're right," her voice was soft, barely above a whisper.

Kiku raised an eyebrow. She almost missed it. Unexpected, but I'll take it. "About what? The house?"

Shun turned her head towards the wall. "Yes. The house. This place isn't safe for a child. It isn't even safe for me."

Kiku slumped forward with a loud groan of protest. "Are you kidding me?"

Shun turned back towards her, confused. "I've agreed to leave- isn't that what you wanted?"

Kiku pulled at her bangs and let out a frustrated yell. "I did research, Shun! I talked to people, went through their files." Kiku handed Kokoro off to Shun to get a bath as well. "I looked through our files to find out why you wouldn't move! I. Prepared. A. Speech."

  
Shun blinked as she balanced their baby on her legs, pushing water over her. Shun, while clueless on how people and interactions worked, knew how to direct her rage. "What did you find, Kiku?"

  
Just like that, a switch was flipped in Kiku's brain. Now Kiku ranted and recounted the last month or so of information to Shun as she paced around the bathroom. Everything she found on Shun, or rather the lack thereof, and the Uchiha Clan. "-And the most fucked up part is that Uchiha Elders are bastards! They basically married off a child to a grown man not once but twice in recent memory! So they could control some people a tad bit more."

  
Shun stared at Kiku in awe, amazed to hear someone get upset on her behalf. On the Uchihas' behalf. It was a little hard to take in. It also made Shun's chakra seethe with rage. "I see. So I'm not a citizen of Konohagakure, but my child is?" Shun handed Kokoro back to Kiku, who was waiting with a towel. "Due to the deliberate oversight of Elder Munōna?"

  
Kiku bristled at the name and chortled, but focused on patting the little one dry. "That's his name? Fucking 'incompetent?'" Kiku swaddled her in a separate towel cooing at little Kokoro as she went. She swung the door open and plopped the baby into Hiroto's stunned arms- "Go dress the baby, kids. We'll be out in a moment-" and let it swing close.

  
Both women listened to their muted steps fade before continuing. "Incompetent is rather fitting, no?" Shun took a deep, steadying breath and continued. "Though, Doe, I'd rather not talk about him."

  
Kiku agreed, gingerly sitting back down on the stool next to the bath. They could both use a change of subject. "The house it is. So what are the Uchiha customs in regards to moving, then? Is it a send-off? A prayer? A complete dismantle or nothing at all?"

  
Shun thought for a moment before shrugging. "It's a dismantle, I guess? I remember that when mother and I moved we took as much of the house we could- usually wood and nails. The clan itself has a similar mentality if I remember right."

  
Kiku hummed softly, leaning on the edge of the tub. "Nara's fit into prayer and send off. We thank the home for providing protection and allowing us to stay and bless the new owners. That second bit is optional- I've seen people curse new owners as well, Oni."

  
Shun swiveled in the tub so she could face Kiku, crossing her legs as she did. Kiku sucked in a quick breath and held it. _No! This is the worst time for buried feelings! I've seen Shun topless plenty of times now; what's so different?!_

"What if we combine the two?" Shun's eyes sparkled with something close to excitement and it took her breath away.

Kiku let out a shaky sigh as her face began to turn pink. "Asking the house for its blessing instead and then taking the usable supplies?"

  
Shun smiled and Kiku almost blew a fuse. "A thank you then salvage." Shun lifted herself out of the water, her smile never faltering.  
Kiku sat there stunned, her brain flatlining as 'Stone Faced Shun' got up and hugged her. Kiku slowly began to relax and settled into the unexpected embrace. She buried her face into Shun's wet hair and returned the affection.

That feeling of Shun's wasn't so one-sided after all.

Now all they had to do was act on it.


	5. Uchiha Shun, The Disastrous Lesbian Extraordinaire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shun gets talked through her feelings and Kiku's related to who?  
> Find out more next week folks lmao

Shun left Kokoro with Kiku and her boys the next day. She planned on completing a few more D-Rank missions before thanking 'that kind old woman' from yesterday. Of course, Kiku also needed to talk to her clan head about moving their little family into the Nara compound. And as much as Kokoro could give her an advantage, having the baby with her could backfire as well. So, with Shun's permission, Kiku got the okay to leave Kokoro with Kazuki.

  
Kokoro slept soundly in Kazuki's arms while Kiku explained, yet again, what they needed to do. "I know you have a mission to get to today, Hiroto, but Shun should be back by then. If not, go ahead and leave. Kazuki can take care of the baby." Kiku pointed at the fridge, the second cabinet, and the cradle. “The fridge has the food she can eat, there’s formula in the cabinet, and you know what the cradle is for.”

  
Both kids shared a look that spoke volumes. Kazuki’s grumbled, his voice still rough from just waking up, “You worry too much, Ma. We’ll be fine.” He shifted Kokoro to free one of his hands as Hiroto lead Kiku out the door. “Leave already.”

  
Hiroto, partially dressed in ANBU gear, nodded, his mask falling into place as he did. “Do what you need to, we can handle this. I mean this is like, what, the third time you've explained this?”

Kazuki shook his head. "Fourth."

Kiku eventually relented and left the three kids to their own devices. Granted it was still a little nerve-wracking to leave the baby with two of her three fire hazards.

  
It wasn’t until almost halfway to the Nara Compound that Kazuki’s words settled in. Concerned onlookers stopped and stared at Kiku while she stood crouched in the middle of the marketplace. Her face bright red with a wide grin as Kazuki's words rang through her head. “He called me ‘Ma…!’”

\---

Shun, now in some of Kiku's winter gear, completed D-Ranks far faster. Even catching that cat Tora was a breeze. All that Shun had left to do was talk to the old farmer. The walk to the farm felt odd without Kokoro and a mission with her, though. She'd have to get used to the quiet again.

  
It wasn't long until the farm and farmer were in sight. The old woman sat in a rocking chair on her porch, wrapped in a blanket. "Well if it isn't the Little Ninja! What'd ya need, kid?" She waved Shun over, a grinning closed-eye smile creasing her face.

Shun pumped chakra into her legs as she ran the rest of the way, stopping right before the steps as she dipped into a low bow. "I came to thank you for your words last week, ma'am." _While Kiku and I would have made up sooner or later, this old woman definitely kicked it into gear._

  
The old woman scoffed and gave Shun's words and bow a dismissive wave. She wasn't fazed by Shun's sudden leap forward, either. " _'Ma'am_?' Don't be ridiculous, Little Ninja. Old Lady? Sure. Farmer? Definitely, but not ma'am."

  
Shun accepted her dismissive answer with ease. She's worked with plenty of ANBU who disliked formalities and praise. "What about your name?"

  
The old woman chuckled. "Takashi Gohan. What about yours? It can't be Little Ninja."

  
Shun was also used to people changing how they treated her once they found out who she was. "Uchiha Shun, Ms. Taka-" Shun saw the quick swing of Ms.Takashi's cane and let it hit her head with a resounding 'thwack.'

  
"What are you trying to do? Make me feel ancient? Stick to Gohan, Kid." Gohan shuffled inside and called back to Shun, who was rubbing where the cane nailed her. "Are you coming in? It's so cold out there, you might find a yukinbo* wandering about." Inside the farmhouse was rather simple, if a little bare. There was a fire pit in the center of the main room with a kotatsu table tucked away in the left and a small kitchen to the right. Gohan left her cane next to the door, moving rather fast for an old woman with bad knees. She disappeared and popped up again just as fast, this time with a kettle and a stool. "Fill this if you would, Shun." Gohan tosses the kettle in Shun's general direction, grinning as she listens to her rush to catch it. Gohan sets the stool next to the pit, taking the now full kettle and hanging it over to boil. Shun sits on the floor, facing the old woman.

  
Gohan poked at the coals in the pit and with a nod began turning wood over. "Thank you again for your words, Gohan. Everything is good between me and my… teammate now." Gohan stopped, pausing to give Shun an odd look.

  
"Is teammate code for girlfriend nowadays," She didn't stop when Shun's face began to flame or when she started to sputter, "or does it refer to your wife?"

  
"I am not- Kiku isn't- lesbian- wife? _Wife?"_

  
She nodded, a knowing, sage-like expression crossing her face as she mumbled to herself, "Ah, your dancing around each other, then." Gohan stopped when the fire began to pick up, setting a new log on top of it. "Describe yourself, Shun."

  
_What?_

"Humor me, Little Ninja." Shun's confused silence spoke volumes that Gohan easily picked up on. That and the sudden change of topic calmed her embarrassment somewhat.

  
"I have-" Gohan watched from her perch on the stool as Shun pulled a lock of hair into view- "black hair and, ah, blue eyes? Kiku's said they're dark blue at least... I have pale skin and I'm rather small."

  
Gohan's gave her another all-knowing nod. "Now describe your giggly little one."

  
Shun genuinely smiled. "That's Kokoro. She's very small, and her eyes are starting to get dark as well! It's very exciting. She has dark hair with a small curl in it, but it looks like it will grow into something more 'out there' like her father's."

  
The old farmer made a mental note to ask about the baby's father later as she continued on. The bland tone she used for him when she regards Kokoro with such excitement was strange. "Describe that 'teammate' of yours. You said her name was Kiku?"

  
Shun's genuine smile began to turn shy and her voice grew softer. "Kiku is- she's kind, Gohan." Shun found her lap to be very interesting the more she talked. "She has long brown hair, like wood, and tan skin with freckles from the sun on her shoulders. She's beautiful, like a polished tanto. She's sharp and dangerous and so…" Shun's voice trailed off. "You're right, Gohan."

  
The old woman threw her head back and laughed. "You're smitten, kid! Practically married to her too and you didn't even notice!" Shun's soft laughter joined a second later.

  
A while later, after their laughter died down, Gohan voiced her last question. "What of the baby's father, though? Is he an Ex? A sperm donor?" Gohan leaned forward with bated breath. Shun didn't seem like she was interested in men, but it's not like it'd be the first time Gohan read someone wrong.

  
Shun waved Gohan's words away. "More or less. He was a samurai I met on a mission. He was an impressive swordsman, I told him as much, but his katana-" Shun's eyes lit up as her voice took on a revered tone- "was beautiful."

Gohan got the feeling that Shun meant that quite literally.

\---

Nara Kiku knew very well what she was asking for as she approached an all too familiar door. There was the rising sense of panic, like when she went to talk to young Mikoto, but different. She knew the Clan Head and he knew her. There was no worry of accidentally starting a war with the wrong words here. But Shun would be devastated if her request was rejected.

  
And somehow the idea of letting her down seemed so much worse.

Quietly, she opened the door and slid in just as quick, not really expecting anyone to be home. The Clan Head, Seiki-ka should be on eastern border patrol for another hour. His son, however, had a tendency to watch clouds with his friends between missions. In other words, the sight of him and a naked woman on the couch scared the ever living hell out of her.

Kiku screamed and yelled as she hastily backpedaled into the door. "FUCK! Why the- on the couch?!" Kiku couldn't rip the door open fast enough to get away unscathed. "My poor EYES!"

From the couch inside the living room, Kiku could hear his girlfriend shrieking about 'never letting this happen again' while she called him a lying bastard. If the soft thuds she could hear now meant anything Kiku sincerely hoped it was him getting pelted with couch cushions. 15 minutes later he poked his head out the door. "It's, uh, safe to come inside now, Kiku." At least he put pants on.

Kiku stayed where she stood, hands clasped in front of her face and a haunted look in her eye. "Please tell me I didn't see what I think I saw, Shikaku." Shikaku chose instead to let the question hang in the air rather than answer it. After a long, awkward pause, Shikaku slid the door open wider.

Next to him was now a fully dressed and presentable young woman who, frankly, looked out of his league. "This is my troublesome woman, Yoshino. Yoshino, this is my troublesome sister, Kiku."

Yoshino smiled sheepishly, but the murder in her eyes was as clear as day. Kiku doubted her brother would live to see tomorrow. Then, Yoshino's deadly gaze turned to Kiku as if daring her to say anything about what just happened. Kiku immediately took that as a challenge, mental scars be damned. _Oh. I am going to humiliate_ both _of you._ Yoshino held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Kiku."

  
Kiku very aggressively shook Yoshino's hand, looked her straight in the eye, and sunk her verbal dagger deep. "Hi, Yoshino. I cannot _believe_ I just caught you and my baby brother sexing it up in the main room. Great first impression."

Shikaku tried to think of a solution where their dad didn't find out and sighed when he couldn't find one.

Yoshino screamed with rage.

Kiku cackled like a madman.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Yukinbo is basically slang for Yuki Warashi. Its a harmless type of snow yokai that translates to snow baby. It's literally, a baby made out of snow and magic. How cute is that???
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this weeks chapter!


	6. A Tidal Wave Of Emotion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trouble and happiness are just around the bend, which will they run into first?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy!  
> Sorry if the text looks odd on your end. I can never quite tell.

Kazuki _knew_ he could take care of a kid. Dozens of babysitting missions told him so. But those were older kids, four and three at the youngest. When he found out that 'Captain Mom' was back with a kid, he brushed up on how to take care of them. (He and Hiroto raided the library and bookstore for childcare books.) That didn't make taking care of Kokoro any easier. If anything, he and Hiroto were trying to figure out if she was broken. The books said that babies were fussy things who cried to communicate.

Hungry? Cry.

Sleepy? Cry.

Thirsty? Cry.

Didn't like something? Cry.

Need to burp? Cry.

Except, Kokoro rarely cried. Kokoro only cried if Shun yelled, and that seldom happened.

Hiroto hummed as they stared at the sleeping baby. "Maybe she's like Captain Mom?"

Kazuki shook his head. "T'is early on d'ough? I mean Kokoro's like w'at, seven?"

Hiroto shrugged. "Because she was a field birth? I've heard the nurses at the hospital curse them before."

"Regardless I'm gonna take advantage of da quiet and get some more sleep." Kazuki settled into the old couch next to the crib. "Good luck on your mission, man. Come back alive." Hiroto slid his weapons and mask into place in response and disappeared with a tiny puff of smoke.

An hour later, as if to prove the two wrong, Kazuki woke up to inconsolable screaming. Fat tears rolled down Kokoro's ruddy face leaving wet trails down his shirt. Kazuki cursed Hiroto up and down while he mentally shuffled through the book's _'Why-Is-My-Baby-Crying'_ list.

Sleepy? She just woke up.

Hungry? She refused to eat.

Thirsty? She wouldn't drink from the bottle.

Diapers? He checked when she first started screaming- she was dry.

Burp? Kazuki hadn't had any luck with that so far.

So what was there not to like? Did the baby have a bad dream? Can babies _have_ bad dreams?

Kazuki paced back and forth in the main room bouncing Kokoro, desperate for her to stop crying. There had to be _something_ he was forgetting. But regardless of the cause, it was all was forgotten when Kazuki noticed a lull in her crying. He moved to the left, and she'd cry harder. If he moved back, she'd stop. It was the window. Kokoro was only calming down if she was staring out the window.

Kazuki knew it was likely to snow today- it has all week- and that taking Kokoro out into the cold wasn't his brightest idea. But it was the one thing that stopped her screaming.

Kazuki grinned like he found the solution to all of life’s problems. “‘Ey, Kokoro, 'ow does a walk sound?” Kokoro waved her arms around, babbling and shrieking. “I’ll take t'at as a yes.” At least she'd stop crying now.

\---

Shun turned and waved back at the farmhouse with a small smile, and an idea set into motion. An idea that, unfortunately, would have to wait. Shun calmly continued to walk as a familiar chakra signature followed her. A bird ANBU that shun worked with a time or two. They waited until the farm was out of sight before dropping down in front of her with an outstretched hand. "Uchiha Shun, you have been summoned by the Village Council and the Hokage." Shun nodded, reluctant to grab the ANBU's hand. When she did, they teleported outside the council's meeting room. The ANBU quickly leaving Shun with a single word.

"Sorry."

\---

Kiku sat in the kitchen with her brother and his girlfriend while they waited for their father in awkward silence. Yoshino was a ball of understandable rage while Shikaku refused to look at her now. It was nice to know her brother wasn't immune to shame.

Kiku, however, couldn't take the quiet for too much longer; it was starting to make her ears ring. "Look, I'll cut you guys a deal. I won't tell dad if you talk to me." Yoshino gave her an odd look, silently asking _why_. "I can't take the ringing anymore," then, as an afterthought, "and I'd like to know you, Yoshino. Honest."

Shikaku sighed and took a seat next to his girlfriend. "I'll take it-" they shook hands, the tension from before largely gone now- "Troublesome."

Kiku smiled as turned her attention to Yoshino. "So, tell me about yourself."

She shrugged. "What's there to know? I'm a chūnin that lives in the apartments nearby your compound."

Kiku rolled her eyes. "Don't undersell yourself! You have to be pretty special if Shikaku brought you home."

Yoshino's earlier anger simmered quite a bit at this new information. She even smiled as Shikaku grew a little pink. "Well, I specialize in taijutsu. That's actually how I met Shikaku."

Kiku's eyes lit up. "Oh? Do tell."

Yoshino smirked. "Lord Seiki-ka approached me and asked if I could improve his son's 'piss-poor taijutsu.'" Shikaku grumbled but was otherwise ignored. "I kicked his ass six ways to Sunday. He's lucky he's cute."

Shikaku huffed and leaned into her shoulder. "I didn't lose _that_ bad."

Kiku grinned at the sight of her brother acting so _soft_ with someone. She felt like she was going to explode with joy. "I'm happy for you, Shikaku. I'm glad you guys are happy."

Shikaku gave his sister a withering look, still leaning on Yoshino. "What about you? I've heard you talk about the same girl for over _seven years_ and I _still_ have no idea who she is."

Kiku grinned and reached over like she was going to pinch his cheeks. "Awe, do you not like being the center of attention?"

Yoshino knew what Shikaku was doing and helped put on the pressure. "Oh? You have a girlfriend too, Kiku? I'd love to meet her."

He nodded, a knowing glint in his eye. "What's her name again? Oni?" Shikaku knew for a fact that Kiku was too much of a disaster to ask the girl out.

Instead of the shy reaction he expected, his sister gave him an excited grin. "We've been living together for almost three months now. I'm-"

"About damn time, kid. " All three jolted upright at the new voice, Kiku's shadow frantically spiking out at the sound. Standing behind her was none other than Lord Seiki-ka, current Nara clan head. "Troublesome brat. Didn't I tell you not to do that shit?"

Kiku sheepishly waved. "Hey, Dad."

Seiki-ka rolled his eyes as he waited for Kiku's shadow to smooth out. "What's with the visit, kid?"

Kiku twirled her thumbs as she built up the courage to talk. "We need to talk, but it's more Lord Seiki-ka business than Dad business." He motioned for Kiku to continue, more than used to his oldest child's hesitation and habits. "I… I'd like to move back into the compound."

That was it? Seiki-ka shrugged and ruffled Kiku's hair. "That's it? I almost exp-"

"With my family." Silence. "I've got my own little family." More silence. "I've been parenting 3 kids for about three or four months now."

Seiki-ka was quick to put two and two together and, quite frankly, didn't buy it. Something else was up. "You mean to tell me you not only asked the girl out you've been pining over for a decade, but you've started a family with her?"

Shikaku stared wide-eyed at his sister for a moment longer before letting out a loud, obnoxious laugh. "Ha! I call bullshit on that! There's no way Kiku's hit her jackpot without screaming about it."

Yoshino felt awful as a hot ball of guilt grew in her stomach. The more Shikaku laughed the worse it got and the more Kiku's growing blush felt like a hot flush of shame to her. With a deep frown etched into her face, Yoshino ground her heel on Shikaku's foot. Her smile was sweet while her voice dripped like honey. "Is that all? I can hardly wait to meet them all, Kiku."

But that wasn't it. That wasn't even the hard part of this entire ordeal, just the bare bones of it. The look on Kiku's face said it all and then some. "The two older kids are Kazuki and Hiroto, both orphans that were placed on a team with Shun and I... Now that I think about it, Kazuki and Shikaku are the same age." Her ramble came to a halt as she gathered herself. Kiku explained further in a soft, hesitant voice, ignoring the growing dread on her dad's face. "Oni… She… I… Her name is Uchiha Shun. She recently came back from a mission with a child, named Uchiha Kokoro."

Seiki-ka pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Why an Uchiha, Kiku? Why did you have to pick a girl from one of the most difficult clans? Why not an Akimichi or a Yamanaka? Hell, even an Aburme would have been easier."

Kiku gave him a confused look, all hesitation from earlier gone. "It's Shun." Yes, because that explains _everything_.

At Least it did to Kiku.

Seiki-ka slumped into the table. "What else is there? It's never that easy." He wished he had a beer to soften the next blow.

"Shun isn't a citizen of Konoha and doesn't exist outside of Kokoro's birth certificate."

Seiki-ka stood up with a groan. "I am too sober for this. I am going to go get drunk and try to work this out." Translation: I'm going to go to the bar and get drunk while I work this out with my team. This is the same as a yes and you know it you troublesome little shit.

Kiku jumped up, giving her dad a tight hug. She even went as far as lifting him off the ground with a spin. "Thank you, Dad!" Kiku took off out the door right after, a wide grin on her face.

Seiki-ka turned to Shikaku and Yoshino with a chuckle. "Make sure she brings them over sometime soon. I want to meet my apparent grandkids."


	7. An Ocean Of Love, Joy, And Relief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shun tells some important people to shove it while everything else takes its rightful place in their lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy!

 

Shun already didn't like the Council- she didn't like positions of mass power at all, to be frank. The added stress of one of one of her ANBU colleges _apologizing_ for bringing her here didn't help. Shun took a deep breath and centered herself, building back up the walls she'd let fall these last few months.

Shun slid the door open, the sound of yelling and rage slamming into her as she walked through. The shouting stopped as all eyes zeroed in on Shun's impassive face.

Councilman Mitokado Homura scoffed. "It's about time you showed up."

The Hokage leaned back into his seat, motioning for Shun to take the seat to his right. "You're here to discuss you and your child." He began, with a deep sigh, like this was the tenth time he's gone over this. "Specifically the potential father and your mission intake."

Shun nodded, her face set in stone while her insides boiled. "Which do you want me to start with, Lord Hokage?"

Councilman Shimura Danzō spoke up instead, a greedy gleam in his eyes. "The father, if you will."

Shun's stony expression slipped for a split second, an intense rage shining through her eyes. "I detailed how the child came to be and the father in my mission report, Lord Shimura." Danzō was by far the shadiest of all the council. His general _…hungry…_ treatment of Uchiha didn't help. "Nonetheless I don't know his name. He was a mediocre samurai hired to be a bodyguard of the Lord I was sent to infiltrate."

Councilwoman Utatane Koharu spoke up, clarifying and building off of Danzō's statement. "Then what happened to him? The main concern is that we will be getting demands from the Land of Iron for a stolen child. One that happens to be in Uchiha custody."

Shun mulled over her words for a moment but ultimately shook her head no. "I doubt it, Lady Utatane. The moment the Lord found out the samurai put a child in me-" she made a slicing motion across her neck- "he had him beheaded."

Councilman Mitokado gave her an odd look. "Then why is there any doubt that the samurai is dead?"

Shun's mental walls began to crumble from the urge to sigh. Again. "This was also in my report. I was put into isolation and wasn't present for the death, nor did I ever see the head."

A single thought sat at the forefront of Shun's mind. It's almost like no one read the _mandatory_ mission report.

Councilman Mitokado nods as he jots something down onto a scroll. "Onto your mission intake then, Uchiha. We need to get straight to the point- you've already wasted enough of our time."

Lord Hokage puffed on his pipe as they all nodded in agreement. "While you have been taking small D and C rank missions in your absence, it's not enough. Oni is the de facto Head of ANBU and one of our main captains. We can't replace that without consequence."

Shun knew where the Hokage was heading. "You want me to resume my work."

Lord Hokage clarified. "You need to resume your ANBU work."

Shun grew quiet. Her earlier silence was out of duty. This silence seemed far louder and ominous to the council as she chose her next words. They were simple, concise, and delivered with a calm voice.

"I refuse."

The cacophony from earlier returned full force. Only this time it was all directed at Shun's impassive face. All of it caused by Shun's not so thinly veiled 'go fuck yourself.'

Shun continued on, ignoring them while she used the same level voice as before. "My child is still an infant, my Lords. She can only hold her head up by herself for a moment or two. I need to raise her for quite some time before she can be left by herself." Shun stood up, never raising her voice as she spoke. "But," her voice held a ring of finality, "I will resume my duties as an ANBU in seven months."

Councilman Danzō continued to shout, but he was the only person responding to Shun at that point. "Then who, do you suppose, will do your duties in the meantime?"

Shun looked Danzō in the eye, knowing full well the implication behind her next few words. "Whoever's been acting in my stead these last two and a half years, I suppose." And left.

Lord Hokage stared at the table with deep, sunken eyes while he waited for the rest of the council to calm down. He knew this would happen. He stated as much. If only they hadn't dismissed the thought.

\---

While Uchiha Shun wasn't an amazing sensor, she'd memorized her important people's chakra long ago. Even with her head in the clouds, she could locate everyone with ease.

Shun mindlessly walked past civilians as she headed for Kazuki and Kokoro's chakra signatures. Though, she couldn't tell if her foggy mind was the result of rage or euphoria. Shun settled on finding out _after_ she made sure her kids were okay. For now, she'd have to deal with the build-up of chakra and emotion simmering beneath her skin.

Another important chakra signature was clocking in at the edge of Shun's senses. In fact, it was heading straight for her at an alarming speed. Shun took a detour off to the left into an alley as the chakra signature jumped on top of her. Literally.

Kiku dropped off the third story roof above her and into the alley, headed straight for Shun's tiny form. Her bright smile and shining eyes were more than enough to break through Shun's clouded mind. Shun took a half step back and jut her arms out, bracing herself just in time. Kiku landed in Shun's outstretched arms, her excited smile coming face to face with Shun's confused look.

Kiku threw her arms around Shun with a loud laugh. "Dad doesn't care!"

Shun blinked several times. "I don't understand." Didn't she _want_ her dad to care in general? Shun took a second to find Kazuki and Kokoro again. Also- "I don't know what you're talking about."

Kiku gleefully swung her legs back and forth while Shun walked out of the alley and back onto the main road. "Dad doesn't _care_ if we move into the _compound._ " Shun stumbled a little bit at the news- she didn't expect that. "I mean, there's more to it than that but we did it!"

Shun stared wide-eyed at Kiku's ecstatic smile. "What?" Her voice was soft and unsure as her grip on Kiku tightened.

Kiku's face practically ached as she spoke, her voice coming out as little more than a whisper. "We can be proper-" Kiku's eyes grew wet and glassy with unshed tears- "a proper family in a proper house with our three kids and- and-" She didn't notice when Shun stopped walking.

Shun, meanwhile, was having an internal war. On the left, logic and stoicism stood tall. On the right stood emotions and the ever-growing urge to somehow get _closer_. The more Kiku smiled. The more Kiku blushed. The more Kiku gushed about how she was so excited to move their _family_ into her compound. Closer and closer and _closer_ to _her._

To _Kiku._

So as it all fell into place, as their faces got closer and closer, as emotion and feeling poured through the gates-

They kissed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am romantically illiterate I am so sorry


	8. Cryptic Mood-Killers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danzo plots while unknown seals make themselves known.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this chapter

Lord Danzo Shimura was not a good man by any means. Maybe at one point long, long ago when he was a child- before he was scarred by war and violence- he was good, but not anymore. Not for quite some time. 

Danzo sat in his office quiet, patient, and seething. _How dare that_ stupid _Uchiha to refuse to take up her position again? To make a fool of_ him _\- of the council? How dare she jeopardize the_ safety _of Konoha? That fucking Team Horn was turning out to be nothing but trouble making pawns_. Rogue pawns were the last thing he needed

Not when dire plans of war were in the wings. 

"Nigawarai, come here." Now in Danzo's office, like he'd been there the entire time, stood an unassuming young man. He was civilian born with no qualms when it came to killing. In other words, Nigawarai was one of the few that thrived under Danzo's 'conditioning'. Now he was one of his best agents, impossible for sensors to detect. A perfect pawn for assassinations. The only problem seemed to be the mess he had a tendency to make. "You have a new mission for the meantime. Watch Uchiha Shun. Do not interact with your target." 

Nigawarai bowed once at the waist, his plastic smile etched into his face. "Of course, Lord Shimura. What type of report would you prefer?" 

Danzo gave him a dismissive wave as he started to dig through his desk. "Weekly written reports. Your mission begins effective immediately."

\---

Uchiha Shun was easy to locate. There weren't many tiny Uchiha women. There were even fewer that lived outside their district. But that was where Nigawarai's luck stopped. Finding the Uchiha's home was damn near _impossible_. When he did find the half condemned shack, he couldn't even get close enough to the house to actually spy. Not even the head of T&I had this many seals in and around his home. 

So instead Nigawarai headed back to the base. He needed to talk to Lord Shimura about getting a seals expert to help him.

\---

Nara Kiku wasn't even floating on cloud nine. Here in Shun's arms- the same Shun she had been pining over for a _decade_ \- watching little Kokoro try to crawl while talking with their oldest about moving into the Nara compound. Kiku was soaring past the _moon_. Nothing could ruin this for her.

"I've painted a target on myself, I think" 

However, Kiku forgot that the Uchiha was well versed in the mood-killing cryptic. "What, _the fuck,_ does that mean?" Every subsequent word that fell from Shun's pretty mouth killed her cloud nine high. The sudden flash of sickly red didn't help. 

Shun's voice died as the floor of the shack began to glow. Thick, deliberate lines of chakra growing as they swirled up onto the walls. Kazuki traced the flaring seal with a revered sort of awe as it flowed throughout the shack and spilled past the splintered walls outside. It flashed once more before retracting back into the living room far, far faster than any of them expected. They all lurched forward to grab Kokoro, who had managed to roll into the center of the seal.

The seal that none of them knew about. 

Shun managed to grab Kokoro a second before the seal reached its center. The three of them watching with a terrified fascination as they waited to see what it did next. Instead of doing something, the seal lost its glow as it went back to being dormant again.

Kiku let out a deep, shuddering breath, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you know what that was, Kazuki?" 

Kazuki was the only person on Team Horn that had more than a bare bone understanding of seals. "I…" That didn't mean anything at the moment, though. Not with a seal of that size and complexity. "No. I saw a couple of _notice-me-not's_ woven into it but…" Kazuki's voice trailed off as he stared at where the seal was seconds ago. "How did I not _notice_ that before?" Even with seals designed to make you look away, powerful seals were harder to mask, and with one of this size…

It either did fuck all or it was the most dangerous seal Kazuki had ever seen.

Shun held Kokoro a little tighter to her chest. "We're moving now, Kiku." 

Kiku only managed a slight nod as she shifted into her ANBU role. Gone was Nara Kiku, and in her place stood Doe, who's strategic ability was rivaled only by the Nara Clan Head. "Jack Rabbit, I want you to monitor the seal from the outside if at all possible. Look for anything that may have activated it." Kazuki gave her a two-finger salute and vanished from the main room. Then, her brown eyes and hard tone soften. "Oni, may I take her to Lord Seiki-ka or the compound?" 

Without hesitation, Oni handed over little Kokoro. "Of course. It's not like they'll take a baby from an Uchiha they don't know." Because while every instinct yelled to hold her babies close, Oni knew that the Nara compound was the safest in the village. "Do we have any available Uzushiogakure sealers on call?" 

Doe's heart ached at the mention of their former ally, along with a horrifying thought. _Does Oni not know about the fall?_ "No-" and Kiku gave her a pained look of _'I'll-explain-later'_ that she accepted easily enough- "but two Uzu refugees are living in the cheap ninja apartments South East." 

Oni cocked her head at _'refugees'_ but otherwise didn't connect the two. "Understood. Red?" 

Doe chuckled. "Violently so, and the woman makes me feel small." 

Both women vanished from sight with a slight nod, none the wiser of Danzo plotting at their doorstep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


	9. Enter: Uzumaki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter the fall of the Eddy and the few remaining Uzumaki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, the chapter's a bit shorter than usual.  
> Ryubuko and Ashika are Iwriteunorigionalidea's OC's. She is also one of the enablers mentioned in the first chapter and has helped me A Lot in writing this.

The invasion of Uzushiogakure was a cold, cruel, and calculated tragedy. It was a slaughter and kidnapping of an entire nation whose call for help was snuffed out even faster. Men and children old enough to remember were killed without any hesitation. Women, especially those who were already pregnant, and infants were taken and divided between their attackers like loot. Each nation's personal sealing machine, able to make more. But a lucky few managed to escape the death of their home, the death of their people. 

  
Two of which were an expecting couple, Ashika and Ryuboku Uzumaki. Together they sailed towards the sandy shores of Fire Country. Their eyes were puffy and red, their cheeks still wet with tears. They sailed far south to cover their tracks. Ryuboku kept watch behind them while Ashika navigated the icy waters of January.   
It wasn't until the smoking remains of Uzushiogakure disappeared over the horizon did they dare speak. "Ryu, what do we do now?" Now that their life is gone. Now that they're refugees running from unknown enemies. Now that they have no home and she's going to give birth any day now. 

  
"We survive, Ashi." But he knows exactly what she means, so he keeps talking. "We get to a village in Fire Country and recover." So he can regenerate and store chakra, so Ashi and give birth. "Our princess is in Konohagakure with our allies, so that's where we'll head after." Somehow it sounds like he's grasping at straws, but it's all they have.

  
Ashika started to push a little harder, a destination in mind. "Would Wave work?" It was one of the few places Ashika sold fish outside of Uzushio. It had one important distinction- Wave didn't have ninja, and actively distrusted them. Ashika was a familiar face, and neither she nor her husband were ninjas _(at least not in the traditional sense)_. 

  
"Yeah-" Ryuboku ran a nervous hand through his hair as he pressed seal tag onto the back of the boat. "Yeah, that sounds perfect. This _notice-me-not_ should cover us until then." 

  
Ashika hooked a hard left and headed straight for Wave. "We should be there by midday."

Whether through Ashika's strength, Ryuboku's seals, or a combination of the two they hit the foggy shores of Wave at dawn. There they were met by a few of the locals that Ashika knew best: fishermen. The two men greeted them with a happy smile and a wave, always excited to see Ashika. The older of the two sidled up next to Ashika's boat while the younger kept pulling the nets in. "Look at you, girly! You're gonna pop any day now- is this your beau here?" 

  
Ashika almost cried, the stress of it all starting to bear down on her. "I... it's nice to see you too, Yun. Hello, Shirou. This is- this is Ryuboku." 

  
Shirou looked up from the nets, concerned. "You okay, Ashika? Something wrong?" 

  
Neither of them would look at him as fresh tears started to flow. "Just-" Ashika's voice broke, "just do me a favor, please?" Both men nodded. "You never saw us." She ignored their shock. "You've never seen my husband and you haven't seen me since I was here last." 

  
Yun broke the tense silence. "Why?" 

  
Ryuboku spoke up, his voice leaving no room for arguments. "We'll tell you later." 

  
" _Please_ , guys." 

  
Shirou and Yun shared a look. When had they ever heard Ashika pleading- and with them of all people? "Yeah, we'll keep our mouths shut." 

  
The look of relief didn't do anything to relieve the awful feeling the two men got. " _Thank you_." It worried them to no end. "We're heading to Tazuna's, okay? See you later." 

  
Shirou nodded as he turned back to the nets. "See you later, Ashika." 

  
Yun watched them row ashore. Watched girly's beau slap something on the boat to make it disappear. Watched as they darted past the tree line headed inland, towards Tazuna's house. "Something awful happened to girly and her beau." 

  
Shirou pulled more of their net in. "It's probably got something to do with why we're pulling in so many Uzushio fish." 

  
"What?" Sure enough, they were pulling in more and more brightly colored fish that belonged to the whirlpools of Uzu. Sure, they'd get a few whenever Ashika would come into town- they seemed to follow her in- but not like this. 

  
"I got a bad feeling, pa." 

  
"Me too, kid."

  
\---

  
The sight of Tazuna's house was a relief to both Uzumaki. Both of them hurried into Tazuna's home, Ashika taking the lead as Ryu shut the door behind them and began to secure the house. "No one's home until later usually. Little Tsunami is typically out with her friends. Tazuna is either working or getting drunk." 

  
"Tsunami-" Ryuboku looked away from the window- "the same one you helped deliver?" 

  
Ashika sniffled and nodded, a fresh wave of tears breaking through as she took a seat. "She was so _small_ and _difficult,_ Ryu. She came feet first and everything."

 

Ryuboku knelt down in front of the love of his life, gently moving her hands away from her face to kiss her knuckles. "You're an amazing woman, Ashi, and you'll be an even better mother-" he stood up, placing a soft, tender kiss on her forehead- "Everything's going to be okay."

 

_Ryu always knows what to say._ Ashika sniffled, pulling a hand away to rub her eyes. "Thanks, dear." 


	10. Wave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tazuna takes all of this in surprising strides.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter looks funky, I'm posting this on my phone before work. I'll fix it when I get home tonight.

Tazuna cut through the market on his way home, skipping the bar this time around. He planned to pick up carrots and maybe some Uzu fish if Ashika was in- it was about time she showed up anyway. If not today then sometime this week. Tsunami will be happy to see her at the very least. But as Tazuna walked along the main road through the heart of the market, it became clear something was wrong. 

It was unusually quiet. Eerily, terribly quiet. Sure it was as packed as ever, but everyone seemed to focus on something far past the island, to the northeast. _Towards Uzushio_ , was Tazuna's immediate thought. It was a dark and worrisome connection, one he ignored. He finished up his shopping and headed to his home by the village outskirts. He didn't think about how there was plenty of Uzu's fish in the market without Ashika. 

Tazuna met up with his little Tsunami at the docks on his way home, listening to her talk about her day. He didn't expect Tsunami to shriek and run the rest of the way home halfway through her sentence. He didn't expect to run after her confused, his knees protesting about the sudden movement. He didn't expect to see two heads of red hair, one bright and achingly familiar sitting next to one deep and unknown. 

Ashika smiled, her voice rough like she'd been crying. "Hello, Tazuna."

\---

Tazuna, Shirou, and Yun sat in the kitchen, listening to the fall of Uzushiogakure. It made the little things stand out far more than they had earlier. The bits of ash that clung to their hair and clothes, their pale faces, the stained tears that ran down them. 

Ryuboku's trembling hands.

Ashika's heavy limp. 

Ashika did most of the talking, Ryuboku only adding here and there, but by the end of it all three were in agreement. They'd do anything to help Girly and her beau. As Ashika came to a stop Ryu picked it back up, his voice ruff and low. "We need to hide and Ashika said this place was safe. At least until our baby is born. That's why we're here. Just...

" _Please_." 

It took a few tense moments before Tazuna realized that Ashika's husband- Ryu… _something_ \- was talking to him. He was asking Tazuna if they could hide here. Ashika took one of Ryuboku's hands as he cleared his throat. "We'll be gone like we were never here afterward. I can hide somewhere else if th-"

Tazuna cut him off. "No, you can both stay here. Of course, you can." 

The two Uzumaki began to cry.

\---

Tazuna quickly found out that it was pretty easy to hide the two, all he had to do was buy a little bit more food than he usually did. And if someone asked? He had a pregnant client that came to order a crib. She was Ai from Suna, the wife of a retired ninja. Ryu would stay out of sight until his wife gave birth. He would play Aoi, Ai's husband, the ninja retired due to injury.

It also helped that Ryuboku did what he did best: seals. He would layer dozens of hundreds of seals in the dead of night, each one more elaborate than the last. By the end of the first week, Ryu ran out of seal ink and started using his blood instead. It made for stronger seals, but they were harder to hide. Occasionally when Ashika couldn't sleep she'd go out to help him. Other than that they would find her out at one of the docks, staring at the ocean. 

Tazuna's home quickly became one of the most well fortified places outside of Uzushiogakure. 

Halfway through January Ashika went into labor. The happy couple through all their turmoil welcomed a baby girl on the 23 of January. Ryuboku and Ashika smiled, tired and aching and _happy_. "Maki Uzumaki. A new name for a new adventure."

He wholeheartedly agreed, a searing promise on the tip of his tongue. "We'll make her beginning a good one. A _happy_ one."

As Ashika recovered, a fire ignited in Ryuboku's soul. An idea sprouted and nagged at him for a week and three days before he did anything. On the other side of the island, a complex array of seals was being drawn in chakra potent blood. It pointed northeast, towards Uzushio, their home. 

Ryuboku Uzumaki, A scholar and seal master, disappeared along with his array in a flash of light. 


End file.
